Plans to carry out seismic tests in Cardigan Bay this summer pose a threat to the fettle of the area’s sizeable dolphin population, as outlined here by Lee Lottie Urquhart.
Wildlife trusts in Wales have raised concerns about plans by Eni UK Limited to conduct seismic surveys in a special area of conservation (SAC) off the Welsh coast this summer. The international energy company has applied to the UK government to carry out a seismic survey in Cardigan Bay, an area that conservationists claim could result in the death of many young mammals, as it is home to the UK’s biggest dolphin population. The application Eni put forward would give permission to fire loud shockwaves out of a submerged gun into the Irish Sea, sometime between Sat 1 June and Mon 30 Sept. The government has said that the plan has not been approved, and is subject to further assessment and consultation. Environmentalists in Wales have branded the plans as ‘outrageous’ and asked why they have only come to light this month.
Cardigan Bay is one of only two semi-resident populations in the UK for bottlenose dolphins. Staff and volunteers at the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre in New Quay, who have been monitoring them and other marine mammals for over 20 years, have expressed serious concern about the effects the seismic activity will have on the creatures. Dr Sarah Perry, the Living Seas Manager for The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales added, “The timing of the proposed survey is in the middle of the breeding period for these protected species when there is a serious risk of the young, who are far more susceptible to disturbance, being separated from their mothers.”
A spokesman for Eni UK Limited said, ‘In compliance with both company and regulatory requirements, Eni is committed to carry out environmental impact assessments in any areas where seismic surveys could take place… Any risk to marine life, including aquatic mammals, is heavily mitigated and safeguards are always in place to ensure minimal disruption.’
A petition to cease all plans to carry out ‘destructive’ seismic surveying within the special area of conservation in Cardigan Bay has recently been created on campaigning website 38 Degrees. At the time of writing, and in only one day, it’s reached 3,163 of the 4,000 signatures it is hoping to achieve. The campaign claims: “Previous extensive seismic surveys have been conducted and have revealed no commercial quantities of hydrocarbons within the area and do not need to be repeated. If, however there were any viable reserves discovered the extraction of such would cause irreparable damage to this sensitive marine area and the life it supports whilst making a mockery of the designation of a marine SAC.”
State Of Nature 2016, a report assessing the wellbeing of wildlife in the UK, observed that 46% of marine vertebrates have declined in the short term, and 34% in the long term. The Wildlife Trusts work to protect and improve habitats and wildlife in Wales, as well as helping people to enjoy and understand the local wildlife.
The petition to stop Eni’s seismic surveys in Cardigan Bay can be found at: you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-oil-exploration-in-cardigan-bay-marine-sac